Stainless OX CNC Mach3 setup - first go

[@peterpollard7204]

Thanks Martin great to see it all together and working, getting my 3mm Stainless plates cut this week using your design with a few add on's of my own will start posting around the net when I have all the components, thanks for your input big help mate. Cheers

[@martinbarfoed5040]

Peter Pollard Hi PeterSounds great. I would like to see the mods you have added. Where do you plan to share the files?

[@peterpollard7204]

Hey Martine will be uploading to the Open Builds forum and Builds and Australian Wood worker forum. Been a bit delayed with work in getting my build going but next month get back into it. Cheers Peter

[@ronald44181000]

Martin, I've finally finished my OX CNC ROuter and I have a question for you. When doing the initial setup, do I center all of the axis? Then proceed to Jog it to its limits on each axis to set my Soft Limits. I am not running any Limit Switches and have been told that they really aren't necessary by a CNC Engineer. My machine will also be setup in inches and is basically the same dimensions as yours, though I will be running the UCCNC Controller as a substitute for Mach3. I do have both, but prefer the latter as it isn't hampered by Windows and all of the services that it requires to operate effectively. My initial setup was assisted by Corvetteguy50 who also has an excellent group of pages here on KZbin. Other than my electrically challenged questions. Your video here has moved me further along then anything put out by Mach3 itself.

[@martinbarfoed5040]

If you do not have limit switches installed I think it's hard to make soft limits work as they need something as reference. Normally you home the machine (all machine coordinates set to zero) and minimum soft limits will then be eg 5-10mm from that (in the positive direction). Likewise you enter the max soft limits as full XYZ travel minus 5-10mm. You can run w/o switches as long as you a sure not to make a crash :-)

[@ronald44181000]

After discussing this issue with various people I have discovered that Limit Switches aren't necessary to set up either Mach3 of UCCNC. Their reasoning is that electrical switches have a tendency to fail too often and the computer interface already knows where the limits of machine ravel are with the Soft Limits. As one wouldn't normally run their machine with Machine Coordinates turned on in place of Soft Limits.

[@neilcochran448]

Martin, are you using a Gecko G540 for you driver? I've got the same software you do and want to make sure I can set up everything correctly. The only thing that I will have to watch is doing everything in mm instead of inches which will be fine I'm sure. Thanks for the great information on setting up the Mach 3 software.

[@martinbarfoed5040]

+Neil Cochran Hi Neil, No I'm not using Gekko. The break out board and stepper controllers are some Chinese ones that you can find on e.g. e-bay and AliExpress. They work fine and have nothing to complain about - and they was quit cheap. I think I paid less that $150 for four NEMA 23, 4 controllers, PSU and BoB. I have made a video describing the setup I have: kzbin.info/www/bejne/Z2OvoIKjhaZ9adF6rom what I have read others are happy about the Gekko G540 but I do not have any experience with that controller.Best Wishes, Martin

[@neilcochran448]

Thanks Martin for the information. I truly appreciate your videos and all your help. Thanks again, Neil

[@samanthawelburn4224]

Hi. We have an OX build and use the TinyG v8 CNC control board with chilli pepper, not completely happy with the chilli pepper end and would like to switch to Mach3, could you post a link to the CNC controller and step down pcb that you have used please. Thanks in advance

[@martinbarfoed5040]

Samantha Welburn Hi There!You have lots of options for how to connect to Mach3. The simplest is to use a system based on the parallel port as this port is ideal for the purpose. However, not all PC now have one. Then you can use a USB based board. These typically has an on board CPU to secure the synchronization becomes right.The kit I use is very similar to this parallel port bases set: www.ebay.com/itm/German-Ship-3Axis-Nema-23-Stepper-Motor-270oz-in-Driver-DM542A-4-2A-CNC-Router-/301445110765?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_77&hash=item462f875bedBut I do also have some experience with this USB boardwww.aliexpress.com/item/HX-4-Axis-Mach3-USB-Servo-Motor-and-Stepping-MotorCNC-Motion-Control-Card-AKZ250/1194085935.html I also works fine with drivers like DM543A - but it does NOT support slave axis